Mollie’s Follies

If you got your jollies from Pauley’s Dollies, hold your lollies: The Final Roster won’t be announced until April 30th (at 5pm!)

Good Golly, Miss Mollie — The suspense is going to kill us. And if WE, as outside observers, are on pins and needles, imagine what the Girls are going through right now.

Like waiting for results from The Bar Exam, or maybe from Planned Parenthood, it must be nearly impossible to focus on anything else. Which brings us to the big Question of the Week: Will there be Cheerleaders at the Football Scrimmage on Saturday Night? Are we really going to drive to Pasadena to see a Spring Scrimmage — at night, when FOOTBALL ACTION photos come out blurry — without the benefit of a pre-game, twilight, Spirit Squad Performance?

We have no idea if the “current” Squad is still intact, or if they now have to wait until after the 30th before performing. Apparently, the reason for the delay is admission confirmations. They don’t want to [HYPOTHETICALLY] cut someone, and then have to ask them back, when the person who beat them out doesn’t get accepted into school.

So the Spirit Squad Web Site says that they will post the list on April 30th, at five o’clock in the evening. If we had the technology, we’d install a Countdown Timer. You probably have no idea how relieved — or heartbroken — we will be upon finally reading that list. Depending on who makes it and who doesn’t, we may or may not report it that night. And it has to be said: We REALIZE how ridiculous it is for US to FEEL IT so deeply, when the actual participants will have their lives changed so much by the results.

But that doesn’t change how much it means to us — it just puts it in perspective. But we still might have to experience the Seven Stages of Grief. The only healthy mental approach to someone not being invited back, is this: We just have to be thankful for the (photo) opportunities that we had during the past year, and we’ll cherish the collection, like the Girls will undoubtedly cherish their time, however too short, representing UCLA.

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One of the letters yesterday asked for more details about the Audition Process. It WAS open to the public, so we believe that it is okay to share what was said audibly enough for the (sparse) crowd to hear, and to discuss some of the procedures they employed.

Mollie was, of course, running everything, and constantly making sure that the Judges understood everything that UCLA was about, and is looking for. She explained thoroughly about the IMAGE that UCLA wanted to project. Remember the XFL? Remember those XFL Cheerleaders that suspiciously looked a lot like Pole Dancers? Well, that’s NOT the image that UCLA wants. And it’s not just about revealing outfits and suggestive poses — It goes all the way to specific facial expressions.

However — It’s not all about Virginal Innocence. They also strive to avoid looking too “High School,” which explains the ban on Pig Tails. We didn’t mention it yesterday, but they don’t like hair blocking their faces. It’s a good rule, and also a good way to see how students are at following directions. Mollie’s attention to detail is remarkable, but she never loses her grasp on the big picture. Very wisely, she stressed that if they fail to follow even the smallest instructions during the CRUCIAL audition process, what’s going to happen once they make the Squad and get comfortable? It’s the same way we’ve always felt about job interviews — If an applicant is late for the Interview, for ANY reason, his resume should just go directly into the circular file… because if they are late for THAT, it won’t be the last time that they keep you waiting.

Speaking of keeping you waiting, here are another 17 hidden-captioned, enlarge-able shots from Sunday. If you just came here today to this page, make sure to check out yesterday’s, even better shots, as well.

And yeah, I think it was Brette who you met. I’m almost positive she was the captain during her years. It must be cool to meet Chelsy too. I mean she represented the Dance Team so well during her tenure and being such a recognizable face…what a great honor.

Also, it seems that all but ONE of this past year’s Dance Team is auditioning (Jamie is the one I don’t detect from these photos). And it seems like current members usually are a shoe-in, which means there would potentially be room for only one new member.

t-h, is 129 Kristle (one of the blondes…not Brianna or Kara) from this past year’s squad? I can’t tell for sure.

Also, does Mollie have the ultimate say who gets in or does she strictly go by the score sheets? I hope she goes by beauty, I mean I’m sure they can all dance at this stage. Hehe.

Sorry for all the questions…but you provide much needed insight.

[T-H’s Note: For legal reasons, Mollie does not make the ultimate decision. I believe the Judge’s balloting is the decider. I thought that they could all dance, but Chelsy and Brette said that they could tell the difference pretty easily, based mainly on balance. And, I’ve been VERY wrong before, but isn’t Kristle 128, not 129? I thought 129 — in a RED top — was a new person. But like I said, I could be totally wrong].

[Additional T-H Note: According to Chelsey and Brette, ALL NINE Dance Team Members auditioned on Sunday to return, and they all made the last cut, which narrowed the field to 15. I’m not sure, but I think you’ll see Jami in a couple of the pics that will be posted in the THIRD batch (Tuesday night/Wednesday morning)]

WOW. Thanks for the pic of Kara. She has to be the most beautiful girl I’ve ever seen. I want your job!

[T-H’s Note: “Job?” What “job?” No one is paying me, and NOT ENOUGH people are buying merchandise. I love doing this, but I’d rather have a REAL job — You know, one where you get PAID after spending 18 straight hours taking and editing photographs in order to get them out in a timely manner.]

thanks so much for posting the pics and keeping this site classy! i’ve become a bigger fan of the ucla squad after seeing them this basketball season (thanks to the UT game at Pauley). my only surprise is that kristin (no. 119 above) doesn’t get more love from this site’s readers. don’t get me wrong, all the others who are mentioned (brianna, katie, elise, etc.) are beautiful, but IMO kristin is severely underrated — she is just simply gorgeous in every picture i’ve seen.

i agree- the spirit squad this year was great. everyone has their favorites but i’m also excited to see who they pick as the new squad. looking over the pictures, t-h, im glad to see 123 and 140. all the girls are great but i would love to see a cute asian girl on the squad too.